TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- Alabama's non-conference schedule was designed to right the wrongs of previous years, when a good conference showing wasn't enough to overcome what the Crimson Tide did in the first half of its season.

One of the toughest slates of the Anthony Grant era, though, has produced more frustration and heartbreak than wins that will benefit the Crimson Tide in March.

As Alabama heads into its final shot at a marquee non-conference win tonight at UCLA, it sits at 5-6 with losses to all six of the big-name opponents on its schedule to date. There are no "bad" losses, as the teams Alabama has fallen to are a combined 57-13, but there are no benchmark wins, either.

An upset tonight at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles would certainly qualify. Tip off is set for 9 p.m. central and the game will air on ESPN2.

"The bottom line is we've got to prepare the best we can to go win," Grant said. "We
never are going to be able to look back in terms of trying to worry
about what happened in the past. We've got to move forward and get
better as a team."

The Bruins (10-2) serve as Alabama's penultimate non-conference test before the Crimson Tide kicks off SEC play against Vanderbilt on Jan. 7. Alabama faces Robert Morris, which sits at 5-8, on Jan. 4.

Under first-year coach Steve Alford, UCLA raced out to an 8-0 start, as it followed a narrow victory over Drexel to kick off the season with seven lopsided victories. Alabama lost to Drexel in triple-overtime last month.

The Bruins' only losses came to Missouri and Duke, the latter of which also beat Alabama.

UCLA is one of the biggest teams Alabama will see all season, as three of the Bruins' projected starters stand 6-foot-9 or taller.

"They're a very talented team," forward Rodney Cooper said. "We're going to try our best to play to our identity and come out with a win."